In repairing many automobile suspension devices, such as the increasingly popular McPherson strut, it is often necessary to remove the coil spring in order to get access to the shock absorber unit. This ordinarily requires that the entire assembly be removed from the car, and after repairs are completed, the spring must again be placed and compressed before the assembly is again installed in the vehicle. Some devices have been made available for compressing such springs but they usually require the operation of a wrench to move a hooked nut along a threaded shaft. This, too, may be time consuming.